The Shrouding the Heavens World ".
"Have they left...?"
Lin Hao lay quietly on the bamboo bed, closing his eyes and concentrating.
The moment Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun's figures pierced through the world barrier and returned to the Douluo Continent, the two marks he left deep within the karma between the two women were suddenly activated.
Lin Hao's divine sense slowly unfolded in the chaos.
Guided by the Dao and relying on his own understanding of the laws of time and space, he began to trace the faint threads of cause and effect in the darkness.
Lin Hao did not rashly touch the causal line.
He was just "watching".
From a perspective that transcends the mundane, quietly observe the overall structure of this causal network, and observe the path that starts from a point of light and eventually merges into a vast, hazy, yet truly existing "whole".
That "whole" is Douluo Continent.
In Lin Hao's perception, it was neither a star nor a continent, but a complete, self-contained "world bubble".
Its outer layer is wrapped in a thick barrier of fortune, which is the manifestation of the world's will and a protection against external evils and to maintain the operation of internal laws.
Within the barrier, the causes and effects of countless living beings intertwine into a web, converge into a sea, and ultimately condense into the "River of Fortune" of this world.
Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun are like two waves in this long river.
"Found it..."
Lin Hao murmured to himself.
Following the thread of cause and effect, he went against the current, his divine sense piercing through the infinite chaos, crossing the immeasurable void, and finally "touching" that barrier of the world.
However, at the very moment the divine sense made contact with the barrier—
"Buzz!"
A vast, ancient, and majestic will awakened from the depths of the barrier.
It is not the consciousness of a specific entity, but rather the world's instinctive defense mechanism, a natural reaction of the laws of heaven and earth to "external spying".
Countless chains of laws appeared on the surface of the barrier, transforming into a vast, all-encompassing net, attempting to crush and expel Lin Hao's wisp of divine consciousness that had crossed over from another realm.
"A mere wisp of divine consciousness cannot rashly defy the will of the world..."
With his current cultivation level, his divine sense has already reached its limit in crossing the two realms. If he were to delve further into that unknown "depth," he would most likely trigger the system's countermeasure mechanism.
It's not worth the risk.
Lin Hao ultimately did not try to withstand the attack.
Instead, with a thought, his divine sense suddenly receded, no longer appearing in the form of "probing," but completely merging into the two Karma Waymarker, becoming one with them.
That's enough.
Lin Hao slowly withdrew his divine sense.
He could vaguely sense the "relative position" between the two worlds, perceive the "frequency" of the channel fluctuations, and even faintly detect certain violent "qi ripples" within the Douluo Continent.
For example... at this moment, the gathering of numerous powerful individuals in the Shrek Academy's plaza has caused ripples of Soul Power and fortune.
"It seems they have arrived safely, and... the scene is quite large."
Lin Hao's lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of amusement.
"At the moment..."
Lin Hao's gaze was distant, as if piercing through infinite space, and landed on the two girls who had just arrived in the center of the square.
"Let's see how you handle this 'welcoming ceremony'."
Shrek Academy Plaza.
When the golden light completely dissipated, revealing the figures of Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun, the entire audience fell into a brief silence.
All eyes were fixed on the two girls.
They were still wearing the clothes they had left in, but their demeanor had completely changed.
Zhu Zhuqing was dressed in black, her posture as straight as a sword. Her cold and aloof face seemed to have not changed much, but her deep eyes, beneath the calm surface, held an indescribable depth and sharpness.
She simply stood there quietly, like an ancient sword yet to be drawn from its sheath.
It conceals its sharpness, yet exudes a chilling aura that makes people afraid to look directly at it.
Zhu Zhuyun wore a moon-white long dress, the hem of which moved without wind, and a faint moonlight flowed around her, making her appear even more beautiful and otherworldly.
A faint smile played at the corners of her lips, and her eyes darted about with a hint of languor and mystery.
She was no longer the sharp-tongued and scheming "Crown Princess" of the Star Luo Empire she was before she left; she was now a completely different person.
What's even more chilling is the subtle "aura" emanating from them.
That was not Soul Power, but it was more profound and weighty than Soul Power.
It was as if they were not standing on the ground, but in another dimension, subtly repelling this world, yet Perfect World integrated with it.
" Zhu Zhuqing!"
Ning Rongrong was the first to react, exclaiming in surprise and rushing over.
But as soon as she took a step, Ning Fengzhi gently pressed her shoulder down beside her.
" Rongrong, calm down."
Ning Fengzhi a low voice, his gaze turning solemnly to the center of the arena.
He wasn't Battle Soul Master with profound Soul Power, but his perception of aura was extremely keen.
He could sense that Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun were in a subtle "disharmony" with their surroundings at that moment.
It was as if they didn't belong here.
Or rather, they have "evolved" to a higher level, making them incompatible with this world.
In the square, the rest of the crowd gradually recovered from their shock.
Dai Weisi stared intently at Zhu Zhuyun, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists.
He saw Zhu Zhuyun.
The woman who was once engaged to him, who would become his crown princess and the future empress of the Star Luo Empire.
The eldest daughter of the Zhu Family, a woman of deep thoughts and ruthless methods, who was both his ally and his adversary.
At this moment, she stood there, bathed in moonlight, her ethereal aura like a celestial being descended to earth, completely out of place in this mortal world.
What hurt Dai Weisi even more was that Zhu Zhuyun had never looked at him since she appeared.
Even just a glance.
She simply smiled faintly, her gaze sweeping across the entire room, briefly glancing at Dai Weisi without lingering or showing any emotion, as if she were looking at a stranger.
That utter, indifferent neglect hurt Dai Weisi more than hatred, mockery, or any intense emotion.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but his throat felt blocked, and he couldn't make a sound.
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze swept lightly over the crowd.
She saw her former companions Tang San, Ning Rongrong, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun, as well as her mentors Flender and Zhao Wuji.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly as a greeting, then calmly looked away.
Her heart is no longer here.
Or rather, after witnessing a wider world and embarking on the true path of cultivation, these past emotions have faded into the distance in her heart.
It's not forgetting, but transcending.
Just like an adult no longer cries over a lost piece of candy from childhood.
Her path is a sword formed from her obsession, severing all shackles and pointing towards the supreme Dao.
These worldly ties could no longer trouble her heart.
" Zhu Zhuqing, Zhu Yun, you... are back."
In the end, Tang San spoke first, breaking the silence.
He took two steps forward, carefully examining the two women with a look of surprise in his eyes.
He could sense that Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun's auras were completely different from when they left.